August 30, 2013
Taxpayers Are Subsidizing The Profits Of Walmart, McDonald’s
Yeah, I’m picking on two corporations here, but the share of guilt is plenty among the largest American corporations.
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August 29, 2013
Minimum Wage Increase: With Profits At All-Time Highs, Yes, Corporations Can Afford It
Minimum wage is a wedge issue. But it’s not the usual wedge issue that pits left vs. right, liberals vs. conservatives. Just about everyone on the left is on board with increasing the minimum wage. The wedge is between working-class Republicans and wealthy corporate elitist Republicans.
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August 29, 2013
IRS To Recognize Same-Sex Marriage For Federal Tax Purposes
This has to be one of the more unusual issues for people to cheer about, but it’s a big deal. Today the U.S. Treasury Department announced legally married same-sex couples will be treated as married for all federal tax considerations. This includes federal income tax filing status, estate tax, and more. The announcement comes only months after the Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as only between a man and a woman, as unconstitutional.
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August 28, 2013
Prison-Industrial Complex: The Magic Thinking Of America’s ‘Tough On Crime’ Reactionary Types
I recently participated in a debate on Facebook about criminals and American incarceration. The debate sprang from an article about a repeat offender, committing yet another robbery only weeks after release from a nine-year sentence. My takeaway from this conversation is that America’s prison-industrial complex will not change as long as most Americans are passive on this issue. And that’s because there are a fair number of people in this country who have a philosophy that one should die for the crimes he or she commits, particularly if a repeat offender. In their minds, the only requirement that need be met for a death sentence is their sole judgement that this human being no longer deserves to live, and will never be a useful member of society.
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August 26, 2013
Counterview: Syria Chemical Weapon Use. Does It Change Anything?
Today Secretary of State John Kerry said, “What we saw in Syria last week should shock the conscience of the world.” He added that is was “undeniable” despite “excuses and equivocations that some have manufactured,” which is likely directed at Russia. And of course he’s right. There is no excuse. But does that mean there can be a viable excuse for use of conventional (non-chemical) weapons?
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August 24, 2013
Unempathetic Americans Sit Idle While Public Services Decay, In Favor Of Privatization
Americans falsely believe they can always get better service in the private sector. Americans increasingly laugh at and shun public services, calling them inadequate and antiquated. But these Americans are conveniently ignoring the role public services have played in building this great nation.
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August 23, 2013
Self-Righteous Conservative Trolls And Their Unmatched Contempt For Americans
If you’ve ever cruised article comments, particularly but not limited to political articles, you’ve certainly seen your fair share of self-righteous conservative drivel and vile contempt for fellow Americans. Sometimes it’s laugh out loud hysterical, other times it’s incredibly offensive, and sometimes you just have to wonder if this guy is off his meds.
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August 22, 2013
Voter Suppression: The Hidden Nuance Of Republican Voter ID Efforts
That might be the last time you see me write “nuance” and “Republican” in the same sentence.
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August 22, 2013
Republicans Want To Impeach President Obama, And They Don’t Need A Reason
Increasingly conservative constituents are asking Republican elected officials, “Why can’t we impeach President Obama?” And in many cases, these Republicans (Senator Ted Cruz, Representative Blake Farenthold) answer by saying it’s a good question, and that they would love to impeach Obama, but the problem is the Democratically controlled Senate. Republicans lack any solid reasoning for impeachment (surprise), but that’s not what stands in their way. What stands between Republicans and an impeachment attempt is a tiny sliver of acumen remaining in the United States Congress.
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August 21, 2013
The War On Drugs Has Failed. Americans Know It. So What Gives?
A new Rasmussen poll shows a large majority of Americans believe the United States is not winning the war on drugs. Eight-two percent to be exact. And only four percent say the U.S. is winning the drug war. I’d like to know who those people are, because it’s undeniable that the war on drugs has been an abject failure.
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